Congratulations on the birth of your child! Please call the parish office 061 368 127 to make arrangements for your child’s baptism.

The Parish Community shares in your joy. Thank you for wanting to have your baby join the family of the Church through Baptism. By asking for your baby’s Baptism, you are publicly thanking God for His gift to you and making a commitment to bring up your child in the Christian faith. We will help you carry out your decision by giving you our wholehearted support.

Baptism Dates and Arrangements

Baptisms are held on Saturdays at 3pm and on Sundays at 11.45am directly after the 11am mass in Our Lady of the Rosary Church, and 12noon in Our Lady of the Wells, Clonmoney and St Conaire’s Church, Carrigerry.

 

Godparent Requirements

What are the requirements to be a godparent?  A godparent should be a confirmed, Catholic Christian who is at least 16 years of age, and who faithfully practices and believes in the Catholic faith as a participating member of a parish community.

How many godparents should there be? Church law only requires you to have one godparent; however, it has been tradition to have two.

Can the same godparents have responsibility for more than one child in the same family? Yes, as long as they take seriously their responsibility and intention to help the children grow in faith.

What gender should the godparent be? If you choose only one godparent, you are free to choose a male or a female. However, if you wish to have two godparents, there must be one male and one female.

Can a non-Catholic serve as a godparent? A baptized, non-Catholic may serve as an “official witness” to the baptism, only if there is a proper Catholic sponsor who fully meets all requirements of a godparent. The non-Catholic who is selected as a witness should be an active and participating member of his/her church community. During the baptism, a non-Catholic witness may perform all the parts of the ceremony that a godparent does. His or her name will be entered into the Sacrament Record Book as an “official witness”, together with the name of the godparent.

What is the difference between a godparent and a witness? Canon (Church) Law describes a witness as “A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community.” A godparent is a confirmed, practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church.

Can someone serve as godparent by proxy (stand-in) if the godparent is unable to participate in the baptism ceremony? If a godparent cannot attend the baptism ceremony, a proxy can stand in the place of the missing godparent. The name of that person will be entered as “proxy” in the Sacramental Record Book, along with the name of the missing godparent.

The Symbols Used in the Baptism Ceremony

The Sign of the Cross:  A sign on something shows its origins or ownership. The sign of the cross is the mark of Christians for Jesus Christ died on the cross. parents and god-parents trace it on the child’s forehead to show that the baby belongs to Christ, who now offers his help and grace to face and overcome the sufferings of life.

Oils: Oil of Baptism is olive oil rubbed on the breast of the baby, just as athletes used to rub themselves with oil to strengthen and prepare for the fight ahead. Oil of Chrism is a mixture of olive oil and balsam (sweet-smelling ointment) and is rubbed on the crown of the head. It is a sign of sealing with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The profession of faith which you make on behalf of your child at baptism will later be confirmed personally by your child in the sacrament of confirmation when Oil of Chrism will be used again. The oils are blessed by the bishop around the time of Maundy (or Holy) Thursday.

Profession of Faith: YOU have requested baptism for your child. In doing this YOU ARE MAKING A COMMITMENT to bringing up your child in the faith. – We promise to live by Christian values and pass on those values to our child. We promise to bring our child to Mass and the Sacraments, for this is what it means to belong to the Christian family. Therefore we profess the faith that we promise, before the community gathered, to pass onto our child. We pray for the grace to live as good Christian witnesses before our child.

Water: This is for  cleansing and is a sign that our sins are washed away. Baptism cleanses us of original sin with which we are all born and, in the baptism of adults, of every sin committed prior to baptism. Water is also necessary for life and so is a sign, too, that the life of the risen Christ is ours.

Baptism Robe/Shawl: This garment (usually a white shawl) is a relic of the new clothes worn by Christians after baptism in the first centuries. It is a sign of innocence and the new life of resurrection.

The Baptism Candle: These symbolise Christ – the Light of the World. The baptismal candle is lit form the paschal candle, which stands near the altar at Easter as a sign of the risen Christ. The baptismal candle reminds us that the light of Christ has entered the child’s life; and its flame symbolises the flame of faith which will burn through the life of your child.

After the Baptism Ceremony

As your child grows it is important to pray with them, share some bible stories (maybe purchase a Children’s Bible), visit the Church to light a candle for someone who is sick, attend Mass…etc. We pray God’s Blessing upon you in the challenge ahead of bringing up your child in the faith….

Registration of Baptism

Your baby’s baptism will be recorded in the parish Baptismal Register. In the years ahead proof of baptism may be obtained in form of a certificate issued on the basis of this registration. Your child’s confirmation, marriage or ordination will also be noted alongside this entry in the register.